Funds Sought for Free Yo-Yo Ma Concert on New Haven Green

The folks at the International Festival of Arts & Ideas are taking a leap of faith in hoping they will find the finds of make the free concert by The Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma -- the opening show on the New Haven Green -- happen.

The International Festival of Arts & Ideas is launching its two-week series of performances with the free concert.

It is appealing to foundations, corporations and individuals to make the free event possible.

The two-week cultural festival could have had the concert as a high-priced ticketed for 1,600 people at the Shubert Theater, says Mary Lou Aleskie, the festival's director. But it was determined to open the festival once again with free programming on the large Green, with the ability to handle crowd in the thousands.

But it's going to cost about $300,000 in money it would have otherwise gained as a ticketed event -- as well as the cost of putting on outdoor show.

Aleskie says she and her board are confident that they can raise the special funding necessary for the show. She is already close to a third of her goal and she says she is receiving strong indications from private donors and businesses that they will help her reach the necessary figure.

"This is a huge deal, says Aleskie from her offices in the New Alliance building overlooking the Green in downtown New Haven. "It's been a particularly challenging time," she says, pointing to a 30 percent budget reduction for the festival.

(The relatively good news for the festival is that Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has proposed level funding of $800,000 for the festival -- as well as a number of cultural and tourism organizations who have special "line items" in the state budget. The budget is still to be approved by the Legislature.

"I do feel economy is moving a little bit ahead and people are a little more optimistic," she says. "We are reaching out broadly and are confident that it we will be able to make it happen."

She compared the special call-out for public help to National Public Radio's appeals. "For 16 years we've been offering 80 percent of the festival's programming for free. What we're saying now is that if you've enjoyed it over the years, could you give us a little bit to make this special even that restores free programming on the new Haven Green to its fullest, an attraction that will bring thousands of people from far and wide, that will ultimately be good for this community and the state.

She says Yo-Yo Ma has not played very much in the state over the years -- and never with the Silk Road Ensemble. This will be the only concert by the group in the region, including New York and Tanglewood.

Yo-Yo Ma will also talk about his aspirations for the Silk Road Ensemble at a free 3 p,.m, conversation at Sprague Hall on the day of the concert. (There will be priority seating for festival pass holders and festival members.)

Information: www.artidea.org and for contributions, Lauren Folker at 203-498-1212 x165.